


as it all comes tumbling out

by littlelooneyluna



Category: robron
Genre: Angst, Future Fic, M/M, Revelations
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-25
Updated: 2018-08-25
Packaged: 2019-07-02 08:02:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15792402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littlelooneyluna/pseuds/littlelooneyluna
Summary: seb learns the truth on his 16th birthday





	as it all comes tumbling out

**Author's Note:**

> seb heavy fic coming up, hope you enjoy!

He finds out when he’s not supposed to, he finds out on his sixteenth birthday and Robert feels his whole world fall apart as he sees the look on Seb’s face.

“You liar.” He spits, nearly as tall as Robert now, freckles and blond hair and this scowl on his face that is Aaron’s. He looks cut up, broken, like he doesn’t fully understand what’s happening but he’s trying to.

And Robert’s chin doesn’t stop wobbling because this wasn’t meant to happen. There was a time and a place for everything and —

Seb’s running a hand over his hair, Robert sees that he’s got tears in his eyes and his face is all red and puffy from trying to hold back his tears.

“Seb. Look at me, it’s not what you —“

“So my mum was some slag you slept with behind dad’s back?”

It hurts everywhere suddenly, Robert throws his head up and just as he does the door goes and Aaron’s standing there. He’s got the door swung open, foot pressed against it as he juggles a mound of Seb’s presents.

They almost fall all together as he hears what Seb’s just said.

“You — don’t you talk about your mum like that.” Robert says, because he can’t say anything else yet, because it feels like he can’t breathe and the tape is staring at him.

It’s on pause, and Seb’s done too much snooping and —

“Seb?” Aaron’s whispering, his voice gentle, filled with this undeniable sense of panic as he figures out what exactly Seb’s discovered. He chews on his gum a little as he waits, and then he hears it.

“Don’t act like you care Aaron. Not when ya hated me once.”

Aaron squints, drops the bags down on the floor and races towards Seb but Robert’s there. He’s got his head down and he’s this mess of a man who can’t bare what is happening.

Not now, not on his birthday. It’s all Robert can think about.

“Listen to me. Calm down.” Aaron says, his voice changes instantly. Seb doesn’t call him _Aaron_. He just doesn’t. He’s sterner now, but there’s this clot forming in his throat and he has tears in his eyes as Seb backs away from him.

“Why?” Seb’s chin wobbles slightly and he turns towards the television. “That’s mum right? And she — she’s talkin’ about you and dad. She’s sayin’ that you hate me already.” A tears drops down his face and Aaron’s mouth opens a little as Robert makes this awful sound like he’s breaking a little.

Aaron blows out breath and shudders, decides almost instantly that he needs to do something. He needs to stay strong. “Seb, where did ya find this?”

“Auntie Vic gave it to me, she said there was some silly videos of my mum on here.” Seb holds the old tape in his palm, passes it to and throw and then gulps hard as Aaron looks away.

Rebecca’s showing around the nursery, it’s happy, it’s light and soft and then she’s settling the camera down and breaking apart to Chrissie over ruining a marriage and Aaron hating her and the _baby_ and —

“You were _never_ meant — meant to see that.” Robert finally says, he’s gripping onto the sofa, fingers denting the fabric as he struggles to breathe. “It was all different then, Seb, it was all —“

“You said that you and dad got married after I was born.”

“We did.” Aaron whispers, watches the way Seb frowns at him. “But before we ...”

“It’s a long story Seb. One that you’ll know about when you’re a little older okay?”

“Bullshit.”

“Seb!” Aaron’s voice breaks a little, Seb’s not like this, Seb’s the sort of kid that charms his way out of situations with a smile, not by being harsh and mean and spiteful.

“So you cheated on him?” Seb says, the idea of a birthday party is long forgotten as Robert raises his head and feels the years shrink.

“We — we were in a bad place.” He says, and Seb’s heard of Aaron being in prison, they don’t talk about it, just like they don’t talk about why Liv doesn’t drink even on special occasions.

It’s just another thing apparently.

“So you slept with —“

“I made a mistake.” Robert admits, and Seb’s eyes flicker.

“Yeah. Me.”

“No. No, that sounds awful and that’s not the case at all.” Robert is desperate, tries to reach out and hold at his son’s hand but there’s no point. Seb pulls away and Aaron feels his heart twist as the boy looks at him.

“You’re always goin’ to hate me.” Seb’s eyes widen like he’s just realised. “He cheated on you, and I —“

“Listen, we _love_ you.”

“Mum said ya hated me.”

“I wasn’t — that wasn’t me back then.” Aaron wipes a hand across his face and the tears keep falling. “I was hurt, broken. I hated myself more than anyone else. Seb. You’ve got to listen.”

“I don’t even blame ya.” Seb whispers, head falling towards the floor as his cheeks turn pink. “I blame him.” He looks at Robert suddenly and then shakes his head. “For all the lies.”

“To — to protect ya from the truth.” That was always the case, he sat down with Aaron and Liv and the rest of the family and discussed when and what they should tell him when he’s old enough. It was all because he didn’t want _this_.

“From you not being able to keep it in your trousers more like.”

He’s Aaron, all Aaron sometimes and Robert can’t help but feel ashamed of himself all over again.

“You need to stop talkin’ to him like that Seb.” Aaron says, fighting his corner or whatever just like always and usually Seb shrinks back into himself but now? He almost looks like he’s lost all respect for the man who has raised him for all these years.

He scoffs instead of says sorry, he shakes his head and shudders.

“I’ve got to live with the fact that my mum slept with a married man, that — that everyone around here knows and I —“ Seb gulps hard as he looks right at Aaron. “Liv knew? She knew and —“

“We were going to tell ya.” Robert promises, voice tight as he speaks. “Just didn’t want to —“

“Taint my memories? I don’t even remember her so there was no point in that was there?”

Robert winces and Aaron fights with himself not to cry anymore.

“Seb please.” Robert says, like he’s trying to think of anything, like he’s trying with all he has to fight through the way Seb looks so utterly broken.

But he watches his son leave instead, hears the door slam just as Aaron swoops him up in his arms and holds him close.

“He hates me. He hates me just like I hated my dad when he —“

“ _No_.” Aaron presses a kiss to Robert’s head, firm, soft, all at the same time. He holds him even tighter and then shudders at the way Robert’s mind works. “He’s angry. He — knowing how she died was bad enough, now he knows this and he’s — it’s tipped him over the edge, that’s all.”

Because they tried to erase Lachlan White from their lives until Belle told him all a little over a year ago now, sad and lonely and on an anniversary of theirs.

It had taken them days to console the boy and now there’s this to deal with.

“Did ya see the way he looked at us? I felt it.” Robert whispers, he has his face buried into Aaron’s chest and he feels the younger man run a few fingers through his hair. 

“He’ll calm down.”

“Or leave.”

“Don’t be daft.” Aaron says, although his heart feels like it’s about to fall out of his chest. 

“Or stay ‘cause of Annie and Jacob, not ‘cause he feels wanted.” It hurts, aches actually as Robert thinks about it all and can’t help but draw as many comparisons to his own childhood as possible.

Aaron holds his breath as he thinks about it and then suddenly gulps.

“I’ll find him.” He says, leans away and tries to find his coat as Robert tells him it might not be the best idea. “Rob he thinks I hate him deep down or somethin’. I can’t have that. I can’t have him thinkin’ you’re nothing but a liar as well okay?”

Robert breathes out an ‘okay’ and Aaron holds his hand against his chest, kisses down at Robert’s palm and then he pulls away.

 

••

 

He finds him in no time at all. Seb’s upset and hurt but still predictable.

He’s leaning over the bridge a little the way Aaron used to do when he was his age, legs swinging a little as he grips on tightly and stares down at the small river.

“Remember how loud you used to shout when ya saw the fishes down there?” Aaron says, a small smile on his face that fades as Seb looks at him.

He’s got a packet of cigarettes in his hand, hadn’t had one yet and Aaron knows he won’t be having one any time soon too.

“You’ll hate them.” He leans down a little, hands in his pockets and then he pulls away. “Your dad once tried to smoke one in front of me and it didn’t go down too well.”

Seb pulls one towards his mouth like he’s trying to challenge Aaron. “Was this before or after he slept with someone else?”

Aaron nearly flinches. “Was that supposed to upset me?”

“I’m sorry.” Seb says, all too quickly, he unravels and makes Aaron’s heart almost fall out of his chest because he’s so much like Robert that it hurts. “That was horrible. I didn’t mean to —“

“You didn’t.” Aaron admits, shrugs slightly as he brings himself closer towards Seb and leans slightly against the wooden bridge. “It was so long ago Seb.” It feels like another lifetime really. “It doesn’t hurt.”

“But it did?” Seb says, eyes blinking quicker now. “When you found out that he —“

“I was in prison.” Aaron whispers, and that still hurts, that will always be one of the worst experiences of his whole life. It makes his stomach turn slightly. “I pushed him away. It’s not an excuse, trust me, but it’s what happened. And then he — he did what he did and I tried to forgive him but —“

“She kept me.”

Aaron nods. “I couldn’t handle it and everything got ... it got bad Seb. So I ended it. Watched him with ya for months and then ... we got back together and I never looked back.” He promises, determined to make Seb understand.

He’s wearing this stripped tea, hoodie over his shoulders and a pair of long jeans. 

It takes him back to when he was younger, Aaron relentlessly throwing hoodies over him and making Robert pissed off because he didn’t buy fancy coats for his son to go around looking like _that_.

Whatever ‘that’ meant anyway, it’s paid off, Seb’s standing here now and he’s everything Aaron wished he would be and more.

He’s his son, in every single sense of the word.

“Because I loved you. I fell — I couldn’t help but love ya.” Aaron explains. “Me and your dad.”

“Well he had to.” Seb shrugs. “Mum was gone and —“

“He struggled you know? He struggled so much with raising you the right way, we both did. It’s why he’s a mess now, because he didn’t want things to go this way. He wanted everything to be said at the right time.”

“Is there one?” Seb asks, the weather is colder than what Aaron had expected and he hugs his coat around him as Seb’s jaw tenses a little the way Robert’s does.

“No.” Aaron says honestly. “There isn’t. But, not now. Not on your birthday for God’s sake.” He wants to kick himself, he wants to scream about how unfair it all is but he can’t. He has to stay strong. “You didn’t deserve that.”

“I didn’t deserve being lied to my whole life either.” Seb almost pouts and then he tenses his jaw again.

“I know.” Aaron says, he gets it, he understands. “But we honestly were just trying to protect ya. People can be mean you know?”

“I know. I have two dads, trust me I know.” Seb says almost bitterly and then he stops himself and sighs. “I just — I can’t stop thinking about the fact that you should hate me.”

“Well I _don’t_.” Aaron pushes out, wipes at his face again as he holds Seb’s arm. “I’ve never treated ya differently to Annie or Jake have I?” Seb shakes his head slowly. “You’re my own, always have been.”

Seb shudders. “But don’t you see —“

“I see this brillant boy, who’s passing science now, who’s never not reading a book, who loves his brother and sister so much. Who — who keeps making me so proud.”

“Dad.” Seb says, gulps hard and his cheeks are reddening.

Aaron nods as tears fall down his face, he brings a hand up and holds it against Seb’s face. “What happened before you were in my arms for the first time, it doesn’t matter.” He shrugs. “It doesn’t take away how much I love ya, or how amazing your dad is either.”

Seb looks away slightly and Aaron holds his face.

“Oi. I meant it. He’s spent way too many years hating himself over hurting me and Liv like that okay?” Aaron nods slightly as Seb closes his eyes and breathes out steadily.

“I’ve just made him feel ten time worse then?” Seb realises. “I didn’t mean to hurt him, I just —“

“I know.”

“Thank you.” Seb says and Aaron’s eyes widen in confusion. “You didn’t have to love me. Or take dad back. Stay. But you did.” He looks like he’s going to start crying, cheeks puffing up and eyes reddening now.

He breaks Aaron’s heart. Just the way his own mum used to say he broke hers.

He gets it.

He envelopes Seb into this crushing hug and decides he isn’t going to be letting go for a while. “I didn’t have a choice mate. You and your dad, it was all I ever wanted.” He whispers, knows he won’t stop telling Seb until he knows for sure.

 

••

 

It’s nearly dark by the time they’re back. Robert’s sitting on the sofa biting his finger nails because although Aaron’s text that they’re on their way back, he can’t help but feel nervous about it.

“Daddy, how comes Seb isn’t opening his birthday presents.” Annie’s voice rings through the house as Robert looks around and sees her kicking her feet against the table and cheerfully not eating any of the food Robert’s made for her.

He sighs as he stands and walks over to her and Jacob who’s too busy stuffing his face to care. Robert pulls a hand through Jacob’s curls before looking at Annie.

“He’s out with daddy now.” Robert explains.

“Is he having birthday fun?” Annie’s too sweet for Robert to ignore and he smiles faintly at her as Jacob looks up at him innocently.

“Of course he is.” Robert whispers before shuddering slowly. “Hey, you know me and daddy love you so much.” He says, kneels a little as Jacob drops his fork and gives him a cuddle like he knows he needs one.

And he does, because he’s terrified of his own children hating him. It’s one of his biggest fears.

His children resenting him for all his lies.

The door goes as he thinks about it and Annie jumps off her seat to cling her arms around Aaron’s frame and then scream happy birthday to her brother. Jacob does the exact same thing once Robert lets him go.

“Oi monkeys, I don’t care how many vegetables daddy’s made ya, go and eat them all up okay?” Aaron says, pats Annie’s head as she pouts and follows Jacob back to the table with a huff and Jacob sticks his tongue out just because.

Robert smiles finally before looking at Seb slowly and gulping hard. “Seb ...”

“I think your dad wants to show you something in the garden.” Aaron says kindly. “Okay?” He whispers to Seb and he nods slowly.

The air is thick and cold and it matches the atmosphere for a second or two before Seb speaks.

“Aaron — dad, dad said you and him talked loads. Sorted things out. Broke up and got back together again and he hasn’t left since.” Seb kicks the grass and then looks at Robert who nods.

“I was a nightmare.” Robert almost smirks. “I kept saying I couldn’t get back with him, I was scared of — of him not wanting to be a dad to ya.”

“And?”

“Duck to water he was.” Robert half smiles. “Came home once when you were really little and he’d built a pillow fort for ya to stop ya from crying.” He blinks quickly. “It was so early on when I think about it now but — Seb he’s always loved ya. Just like I have.” Seb looks away, shy underneath the declaration of love. “And I know, I know the way you — me not wanting ya to begin with, me terrified of it all going wrong and what your mum thought, it’s horrible to hear but it past.”

Seb clings to his hoodie a little. “Yeah?”

Robert nods. “She loved ya. After the accident she wasn’t the same but she loved you and we were all — we all just wanted the best for you. Because we all loved you, all cared.” He holds a breath. “So please don’t ever feel unwanted okay, I’d hate if you ever felt —“

“Hey I don’t.” Seb says, all kind eyes suddenly and a hand on Robert’s arm. “I don’t dad.”

Robert looks up and smiles properly for the first time since. “Well good.” He says, almost light heatedly and it cuts through a layer of tension. “Because we always will —“

“Yeah I know. And I know you’re sorry.” Seb says, “Just give me time okay?”

Robert nods eagerly. “Of course yeah. That, that we have plenty of.” He promises before looking toward the glass labelled doors and seeing Aaron standing there nervously with Jacob by his leg and Annie on his hip. “How about we go inside eh?”

Seb nods and walks ahead. “Do my cake then?”

Robert gasps. “It’s meant to be a surprise.”

“Yeah well, I’ve had too many of those today.” And that’s his son, a cheeky smarmy little —

“Get inside!” Robert laughs out, watches the kids attack Seb as he slides the door open. He smiles to himself as he watches and then feels Aaron’s hands around his waist.

“It looked like that went well.” Aaron mumbles into his ear and Robert rolls his head back, wants to feel Aaron even more.

“Sort of yeah. He gets that we love him, sorry and all that. I just have to give him some time to get his head ‘round it.” Robert whispers before he turns and presses a kiss towards Aaron’s mouth before pulling away. “If you hadn’t come back when you did ... thank you.” He kisses him again and Aaron strokes over his arms.

“We’ll get him through this okay?” Aaron promises, like he always promises and then he kisses Robert’s forehead before hearing the sound of Jacob shouting.

“Cake for Seb!” He’s shouting, and him and Annie are turning it into this chant that’s making Robert’s ears nearly bleed.

“Cake for Seb it is then.” Robert says, Seb catches his eye across the room and for a second Robert sees that adorable chubby little baby before he’s replaced with this teenager in front of his eyes.

Robert holds a breath, Seb smiles at him.


End file.
